Now That’s What I Call Weekender, Vol. Whatever

Choice morsels and related notes from tomorrow’s Weekender. Read the whole stories tomorrow, or find them online now if you’re into immediate gratification.

Movie notes:

 Sharp-eyed readers may notice there appears to be a Film Clip (“Peaceful Warrior”) on the Roger Ebert side actually written by Roger Ebert. That is, in fact, correct. It doesn’t mean that Roger is making a speedy recovery. In fact, the opposite seems to be true. The most recent health statement on www.rogerbert.com suggested that he tried to get back to his usual (and enormous) workload too quickly. “To borrow from the Chicago Bears, we (i.e., Ebert and his doctors) tried for the long pass, but now we’re going for a series of shorter passes until we score a touchdown,” he wrote.

Actually, “Peaceful Warrior” was one on the last reviews he filed last June, right before the blood vessel burst in his neck near the site of his cancer surgery, sending him into intensive care for most of the summer. For some reason, the movie, which had a limited release last summer (limited is an understatement — it opened in San Antonio Aug. 25 and was gone a week later), is getting a belated wide release tomorrow. It stars Scott Mechlowicz as an injured gymnast who’s inspired by a mystical service-station attendant (Nike Nolte). Larry Ratliff’s 1 1/2 jalapeno review from last summer makes you wonder why they bothered to bring it back.

Obviously, we weren’t going to review it again. But it vanished so quickly the first time, I never got to run its Film Clip. So here it is.

 Noticed a few more unfamiliar bylines on movie reviews this week? So many movies have opened lately, Larry hasn’t been able to get to all of them. I used to use Ebert as his backup, but since Ebert’s illness, his workload has been filled by a group of Chicago Sun-Times critics and staff writers that I’ve dubbed Team Ebert.

Larry had a conflict between screenings of “Meet the Robinsons” and “Blades of Glory”; and we had so many indies dropped on us this week, he couldn’t get to them all. Which is why “The Namesake” also went to Team Ebert as well as “Blades.”

And Larry couldn’t get a screening or a screener on the restored version of “Becket,” the 1964 Oscar-winner starring Richard Burton and Peter O’Toole. I went ahead and listed the four-star rating the original received in “Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide” because I assumed the restoration wouldn’t make the film any worse.

 Theaters showing “Meet the Robinsons” in digital 3-D — Huebner Oaks, Northwoods, Cielo Vista and Silverado — will likely be deluged with moviegoers this weekend. A word of caution — you’ll have to wear the funny glasses, and some theater will charge you extra for the privilege. The two Regal theaters (Northwoods and Cielo Vista) are showing both the 35mm and 3-D versions, but you’ll pay an extra $2.50 for 3-D. At least, that’s what their listings show. Huebner Oaks will charge an extra $2, but only on bargain screenings before noon.

And the Palladium, the city’s newest movie palace, better hope folks read the fine print. The theater will have the 3-D version — starting Tuesday.

 You’ll notice there’s a Saturday night sneak preview of “The Hoax,” starring Richard Gere as Clifford Irving, creator of the bogus Howard Hughes biography in the ’70s. The screenings are at the Huebner Oaks and Alamo Quarry. At this moment, the film is supposed to open April 13. I say “at this moment” because nothing in this town is a sure thing when it comes to independent films. “Miss Potter” had a sneak preview Feb. 25, then had its opening day pushed back.

Quotes

 “I like supporting other bands, but I also like playing longer than half an hour” — Gym Class Heroes drummer Matt McGinley. The band, which headlines at the White Rabbit on Wednesday, opened for All American Rejects at a poorly attended Thanksgiving weekend show. Not only was the crowd small, slow security meant hardly anyone was in the building for their set. Too bad. This is a hip-hop act that plays real instruments, and their 2006 CD “As Cruel As School Children” was one of last year’s best.

 “We always agree on everything. And if we don’t, I say, ‘Yes, dear.’ I’m not stupid.” — O’2L guitarist Al Pitrelli, on working in a band with his wife, Jane Mangini. They’re in town Saturday at The Spire.

 “Kathleen (Madigan) has already asked me to have great quantities of margaritas and Guinness ready for her so that she can judge properly.” — Rivercenter Comedy Club general manager Ben Huerta, on tomorrow’s “Last Comic Standing” auditions. Madigan is one of the celebrity guest judges.